Valve and burner manifold arrangement



Jan. 3, 1967 Al -i. PRocToR 3,295,584

VALVE AND BURNER MANIFOLD ARRANGEMENT Filed June 12, 1964 U LO INVENT'OR ALBERT EDWARD PROGTOR United States PatentCfifice 3,295,584Patented Jan. 3, 1967 3,295,584 VALVE AND BURNER MANIFOLD ARRANGEMENTAlbert Edward Proctor, Wembley, England, assignor to Airoil BurnerCompany (G.B.) Limited, West Drayton, England, a British company FiledJune 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,794 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, June 14, 1963, 23,844/ 63 6 Claims. (Cl. 158-75) The presentinvention relates to a valve arrangement and more particularly to -avalve arrangement by which fuel can be supplied to a burner,

The valve arrangement of the invention is particularly useful forcontrolling the feeding hazardous fuel such as naphtha or petrol to aburner for a furnace or the like.

According to the present invention a valve arrangement, by which fuelcan be supplied to a burner, comprises: a valve body incorporating afirst chamber with a first inlet in a first normally closed valve in thechamber, to control the fuel fiow to the burner through a first outlet;a burner manifold detachably secured to the valve body; a first movablemember mounted on the valve body by which the first valve can be opened;a second movable member mounted on the burner manifold and serving totransmit movement of the first member to the first valve only when themanifold and the valve body are secured together so that the first valvecan be opened by movement of the first member only when the manifold issecured in its operative position to the valve body.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by Way of exampleonly and with reference to the single feature of the accompanyingdrawing which is a side elevational view partly in section of the valvearrangement of the invention.

The valve arrangement comprises a valve body 1 incorporating a firstchamber 2. The chamber 2 has a first inlet 3 and a first outlet 4, thelatter being normally closed by a spring loaded first valve 5. Theoutlet 4 communicates with a burner manifold 12 through a passage 6.Fuel, such as naphtha, can be fed to the burner manifold 12 from a fuelpipe, not shown, adapted to be connected to the inlet 3. The flow offuel to the burner manifold 12 can be controlled by movement of thevalve 5.

The valve 5 is movable by means of a first movable member or rod 7,having a threaded portion 7a, which is itself movable axially within thevalve body 1 by rotation of a wheel 8 on one end, the threaded portion7a passing through a tapped hole in a plate 9 supported by arms 10connected to the valve body 1. The burner manifold 12 has a flexiblediaphragm 11 mounted on it which supports a second movable member orstud 13 so that when the burner manifold 12 and the valve body 1 areconnected together the stud 13 is between the free end of the rod 7 andthe valve 5. Only When the stud 13 is in this position will axialmovement of the rod 7, to the right as viewed in the drawing, move thevalve 5 against its spring 5a to open the outlet 4, this position beingshown in the drawing, since the stud 13 is required to transmit movementof the rod 7 to the valve 5.

The mechanism by which the burner manifold 12 is connected to the valvebody 1 includes a toggle operated clamp which has an operating arm 14with an aperture 14a in it, through which the free end of the rod 7passes when the arm 14 is in its locked position and when the rod 7 isholding the valve 5 open. The valve body 1 can thus not be disconnectedfrom the burner manifold 12 until the valve 5 has been closed. Thisensures that the fuel supply is cut off before the disconnection ismade.

The rod 7 incorporates a second valve 7b of enlarged cross-sectionintermediate its length and situated in a second chamber 15 in the valvebody 1. The second chamher 15 has a second inlet 16, through which steamcan be supplied, and a second and third outlet 17 and 18 respectively.The outlet 17 communicates through a passage 19, in the valve body 1,with the outlet 4 to the valve chamber 2 and is closable by axialmovement of the second valve 7b of the rod 7 in the right hand directionas viewed in the drawing. Closure of the second outlet 17 occurssimultaneously with the opening of the valve 5, when the valve body andburner manifold are operatively connected together.

The third outlet 18 from the second chamber 15 is controlled by anindependent third valve 20 operable by a wheel 21. The outlet 18communicates with the burner manifold 12 through a passage 22.

In operation the valve body 1 and burner manifold 12 are in the positionshown, that is with the valve 5 open so that fuel is supplied to theburner manifold through the inlet 3, chamber 2, outlet 4 and passage 6.The fuel is atomized by steam that is fed to the 'burner manifoldthrough the inlet 16, chamber 15, outlet 18 and passage 22, the valve 20being open.

When it is required to disconnect the valve body 1 from the burnermanifold 12, the rod 7 must be moved axially to the left, as viewed inthe drawing. Initial axial movement of the rod 7 allows the first valve5 to close under the action of its spring 5a, thus cutting off fuel tothe burner, and causes the second valve portion 7b to open the outlet 17of the chamber 15, thus allowing steam from the inlet 16 to pass to theburner manifold through the passage 19. If the rod 7 is left in thisinitial position steam will purge the burner manifold of fuel, which isblown by thesteam into the furnace where it is burnt.

Further axial movement of the rod 7 to the left will Withdraw the freeend of the rod 7 from within the aperture 14a in the arm 14 and willcause the second valve 7b to close the inlet 16 to the chamber 15 thuscutting off the supply of steam. The valve 20 is then closed and thevalve body can be disconnected from the burner manifold since the togglearm 14 is free to move.

It will thus be seen that with the valve arrangement described the fuelsupply to the burner manifold must be cut off and the burner manifoldpurged of fuel before the valve body can be disconnected from the burnermanifold. The risk of fuel leaking from either the burner manifold orfrom the valve body due to premature dismantling before adequate purginghas been carried out is thus removed.

I claim:

1. A valve arrangement by which fuel can be supplied to a burnermanifold comprising: a valve body incorporating a first chamber with afirst inlet and a first valve in the chamber to control the fuel flow tothe burner through a first outlet, a burner manifold detachably securedto the valve body; an elongate first movable member mounted in the valvebody by which the first valve can be opened; a second movable membermounted on the burner manifold between the first movable member andfirst valve and being aligned with said first member to transmit axialmovement of the first movable member to said first valve only when themanifold and valve body are secured together in their operativepositions whereby the first valve can be opened only when the manifoldand valve body are secured together in their operative positions.

2. A valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which the burnermanifold is detachably secured to the valve body by a locking devicewhich when locked can only be unlocked by moving the first movablemember to a position where it will cause the first valve to close.

3. A valve arrangement as claimed in claim 2 in which the locking devicecomprises a toggle mechanism having an operating arm with an aperturetherein through which the first movable member passes when the arm is inits locked position and when the first member is simultaneously holdingthe first valve open.

4. A valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which the valve body hasa second inlet communicating with a second chamber in the valve body,the second chamber having a second outlet, a second valve controllingcommunication between said second chamber and the fuel pas sage throughwhich fuel from the first valve passes to the burnerto permit a secondfluid to pass through the fuel passage by way of the second outlet topurge it of fuel, said second valve being movable with said firstmovable member so that when the first valve is open the second 7 outletis closed and vice versa.

5. A valve arrangement as claimed in claim 4 in which the second chamberhas a third outlet through which steam can be passed to the burnermanifold to atomize the fuel, the third outlet being controlled by athird valve.

6. A valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1 in which the first movablemember comprises a rod movable axially in the valve body and having anenlargement intermediate its length situated in the second chamber andforming the second valve, one end of the rod bearing on the secondmovable member which is supported by a flexible diaphragm mounted on theburner manifold so that in one axial position of the rod the saidportion closes the sec- 4 0nd outlet and at the same time the said endof the rod urges the second movable member, against the action of theflexible diaphragm, to open the first valve, said rod being movedaxially from the said one axial position to- References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,445,827 2/1923 Fesler 158-73 1,499,1076/1924 Haynes 158-73 1,523,079 1/1925 Peabody 158-73 2,845,115 7/1958Paulin 158-73 3,071,936 1/1963 Irwin 137-595 X 3,213,918 10/1965 Rudzkiet a1. 158-11 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. E. G.FAVORS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A VALVE ARRANGEMENT BY WHICH FUEL CAN BE SUPPLIED TO A BURNERMANIFOLD COMPRISING: A VALVE BODY INCORPORATING A FIRST CHAMBER WITH AFIRST INLET AND A FIRST VALVE IN THE CHAMBER TO CONTROL THE FUEL FLOW TOTHE BURNER THROUGH A FIRST OUTLET, A BURNER MANIFOLD DETACHABLY SECUREDTO THE VALVE BODY; AN ELONGATE FIRST MOVABLE MEMBER MOUNTED IN THE VALVEBODY BY WHICH THE FIRST VALVE CAN BE OPENED; A SECOND MOVABLE MEMBERMOUNTED ON THE BURNER MANIFOLD BETWEEN THE FIRST MOVABLE MEMBER ANDFIRST VALVE AND